Newspaper Endorsements

Obama just picked up the NY Times endorsement for President. This is not a surprise as the last Republican they endorsed was Dwight Eisenhower. That being said there is an interesting contrast developing between the two candidates. Obama has picked up 133 endorsements from newspapers and publications vs McCain who has picked up 44. Twenty eight of Obama's endorsements were from papers that endorsed Bush in the last election. The most significant switch was by the Washington Post which has never endorsed a Democrat. Many of the endorsements express concern about Palin as choice for VP as well as the tenor of McCain's campaign. Some express concerns about McCain's ability to handle the economic crisis.

While I don't believe the newspapers have a significant effect on the election. It displays a few interesting things. First, the complete disaster that appears to be the McCain campaign. Second, the ability of Obama to convince individuals who may not traditionally support him to give them their support even if it is with some reservations. Third, that many periodicals regard Obama as the best candidate to deal with the economy.